Child Find Is More Than a Fall Count
The annual IDEA count is important, but children’s needs do not follow a counting calendar. A concern may surface in November, February, or the final weeks of school. Whenever it appears, schools need a clear process for helping families take the next step.
This week, review how your school identifies concerns, makes referrals, and follows up with families and the public school district.
What should be happening?
Under IDEA, the local educational agency, or LEA, where a private school is located must locate, identify, and evaluate children suspected of having disabilities who are enrolled there by their parents. This includes children whose families live outside the district or state. The process must support equitable participation and be completed within a timeframe comparable to that for public school students.
Child find is an ongoing responsibility. Completing the fall count does not close the door on referrals or evaluations.
What can your school do this week?
Check the referral pathway. Make sure teachers and school leaders know whom to contact, how to document concerns, and how families can request an evaluation. Confirm the LEA’s current contact person and procedures.
Review unresolved concerns. Look at students with persistent academic, behavioral, communication, or functional difficulties. Gather classroom observations, work samples, assessment results, intervention records, and relevant information provided by families.
Check pending evaluations. Record referral dates, district responses, parental consent dates, and expected completion dates. Federal regulations generally require an initial evaluation within 60 days of parental consent, unless the state establishes its own timeframe, with specified exceptions. Verify the rule that applies in your state.
Keep families informed. Explain what has been submitted, what happens next, and whom they can contact. Use clear language and a secure process for sharing student information.
Follow up on refusals. If the public agency refuses an evaluation, parents should receive prior written notice explaining the decision, its basis, and applicable procedural safeguards. Help families understand the notice and identify where they can ask questions.
An important reminder about interventions
Interventions can provide useful support and information. They cannot be used to delay or deny an evaluation when a disability is suspected. The Department’s private school guidance specifically addresses delays based on a private school’s failure to implement or report an RTI process.
Continue supporting the child while the evaluation process moves forward. Families should not have to choose between classroom help and an appropriate evaluation.
The question to ask in writing
“Please confirm the child find referral process for students enrolled in our school, including the responsible contact, required information, applicable evaluation timelines, and how parents will receive updates. How should we follow up on pending referrals or concerns about delays?”
Where does the SEA fit?
The state educational agency oversees IDEA implementation. If evaluation concerns remain unresolved, school leaders and families can contact the state’s special education office for guidance about applicable procedures and dispute resolution options.
Dates to keep on your radar
A clear referral process gives a concern somewhere to go. Consistent follow up helps ensure the child does not get lost along the way.